Letters of Courtship
by goldleaves
Summary: A collection of letters between Eomer and Lothiriel during their courtship. Eomer/Lothirel. One-Shot


Note:  though I love doing Eomer/Oc's I thought it time to attempt a Eomer/Lothirel and this is the result, I hope that you all like and enjoy it and that you will forgive and spelling or grammatical mistakes I have made through out this piece. I also hope that you would review it and maybe check out some of my other works in the Lord of the Rings fandom.

Summary: a number of letters between Eomer and Lothirel during their courtship

Word Count: 4,082

Genre(s): Romance/General

Rating: K+

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Letters of Courtship

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Dear Eomer-king**

I am informed by my father that you would wish to speak with me on a proposition for my hand in marriage, And I tell you now that whilst I would love to be in Minas Tirth to meet you in person, and to see whether this union would be agreeable to me, I'm afraid an illness and other duties keep me bound here in Dol Amroth.

I beg you to understand and to forgive my reluctance to leave at this time; there are still many refugees that need looking over and things to prepare for when my father and brothers return home to Dol Amroth, and we are still dealing with Corsairs despite the over-throw of Sauron - so I beg your forgiveness once more.

Since I am unable to travel to Minas Tirth myself, and I gather that you are busy dealing with the funeral of your uncle, may he rest in peace, and the dealings of your kingdom - perhaps it would be best if we were to communicate through letter for the time being? I know it is odd, and strange but I find myself too busy to travel distances and my healers say that I should not do so either.

May I be so bold in wishing you best wishes in your health and the running of Rohan, I do so wish that you are well and that you are happy within the borders of Gondor - for I feel all would be ashamed if be some chance we had insulted our saviours... how are your men? and your horses? I do wish them well.

Yours Respectfully,

**Princess Lothirel of Dol Amroth**

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**Dear Princess Lothirel**

Do not fear that I am offended at your staying in Dol Amroth to look over your people, in fact I find it quite commendable, and I thank you over your concern over my men - apart from the loss of some, and the injuries of others we are faring well in your grand land, there is no need to feel ashamed.

I, myself am well, I am currently in Minas Tirth with my sister, who was injured during the battle of Pelennor - but she is recovering now, thanks to King Elessar.

I do believe that your suggestion of correspondence through letters is quite agreeable to me, and I commend you on that as well, How are your people? I read from your letter that your coasts are still under attack - are you faring well under this pressure?

I have also read from your letter that you are ill at the moment, I do hope that you will recover soon, so that we might meet in person, and I do hope that your illness isn't life threatening ... I suppose you've heard of Faramir, the Steward of Gondor? I am told from your father that you are cousins ... I would wish to ask you of his character, for you see it seems that my sister, Eowyn, is quite enamoured with him, and he with her - and I wish to know more about him. Is he noble? Is he trust-worthy?

My stay in Minas Tirth has been great so far, and I am enjoying the beauty of this place, it is much different from my own home, and yet it holds its own unique beauty - I would like to know more about your home, what is Dol Amroth like? What is the sea like?

Yours Respectfully,

**Eomer-king of Rohan.**

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**Dear Eomer-king**

I thank you for your concern over my health - it is merely a recurring illness that happens every once and a while since my early childhood, this bout of it has been the worst for many years - I fear because of the shadow of Sauron, but I am recovering now and I feel that I will be able to travel within the month - but my duties may keep me here longer than that.

I am glad to hear that you are enjoying your time in Minas Tirth and that you find it beautiful, I myself have always found it so - on the few occasions when my father and brothers have let me travel there over the last few dark years, it seems to be almost a beacon of hope to all those who see it - white even in the darkness, standing firm and proud even when the land around it is struck by the shadow, our great protector, the sword of Gondor - that is what it is sometimes called, for it pierces the very heart of darkness.

As of Faramir, he is indeed my cousin, and I would be glad to tell you of his character - he is a warrior, yes - but not out of love of killing and rampaging but more out of love of his people, he fights to defend what is his to defend. He is more wise than his brother, Boromir was, may his soul rest in peace, and his heart is pure and uncorrupted.

He is gentle and kind and very loving to all he encounters, but he is wary of his heart and giving it to someone, if he decides to give it to your sister, may she be honoured and careful with it, for I would hate to see him crushed and broken - but if she did return his love, and placed her own heart with in his hands - I think that she would be very happy and well cared for, for her whole life.

He would never dare to change her, and he would never tell her not to do something, but he would always be there when she needed him, and he would always be waiting for her - that's the type of man my cousin is, and I am glad to hear that he has found love in these new days of peace - for I have worried over him for many years.

As of my home, I live in the palace of Dol Amroth, it is much smaller than the citadel of Minas Tirth, but I believe it to be much warmer - more friendly, where as Minas Tirth is all white and black marble, our palace is built into the cliff face, and we gain warmth from the land - the city of Dol Amroth is also embedded into the cliff, but it also lays sprawling on the plains beneath the cliffs, and it seems to flow into the sea like a great river.

The land around us, is open - much like Rohan is, or so I've heard, and all we can see for days in any direction is grass, and fields and farms, but further than that there is forests and then mountains, and then - Minas Tirth itself, looking from my window I can barely see a smudge which is the beginnings of the forest.

There are docks in the city, and we have a great fleet and when the weather gets rough in winter, the entire fleet sails down into a great cavern that was built into the very cliff itself, and it protected from the sea and winds by the head-land as is the city itself - that is not to say that it doesn't get windy here - for we are by the sea, and the sea is fierce... but out on the headland there is a stone watch-tower and beacon so that friendly ships at night may have a light to draw them home.

I once went up there, during a gale, and my cloak and hair whipped around me fast and fierce and the watchers looked at me with kind faces when I brought them more oil for the beacon, and some soup for their stomachs - it is the highest point and most un-protected point on the whole coast, I have once been told by my brothers that from the sea itself to the top of the cliff at that point - it is higher than the citadel of Minas Tirth - and when sailing underneath there, you can believe it - for the beacon is merely a bright speck on top - but it guides us home with hope.

Perhaps you might visit my home one day? For it is very beautiful and I would be honoured to show you my father's stables and to show you any else you might see in our fair, but remote, city. And what of your home? What is it like - for I have never seen Rohan and I am told it is very beautiful and very different from Gondor.

Yours Restpectfully,

**Princess Lothirel of Dol Amroth**

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**Dear Princess Lothirel**

I am glad to hear of your recovery, I hope that your duties and health may let you visit Minas Tirth, while I am still in this fair city, or maybe to visit Edoras one day.

I thank you for your information on your cousin, and I admit that you are right, he is a noble and honourable man - and I would be honoured to see him as my brother-in-law.

The sound of your home, is magnificent and beautiful - and I found myself imaging it, perhaps I would visit it one day, and I believe that one day might be soon, for your father is talking about inviting myself, my sister and Aragorn, the king and some of the court to Dol Amroth, though at the moment it is still a thought, and I would be glad to see you for my self.

As of my home - it is very open and wide, the grass plains of Rohan shine golden in the sun and the horse herds of our people gallop freely, Edoras itself is built upon an out-cropping of stone in these plains, and the city sprawls across the bottom of this rock, while the golden hall - the Medusald, with it's golden roof - is situated on the top of the rock - and it's great beacons light it gold at night so that many from miles away can see it - even in the dead of winter when the snow falls hard.

Yes, Rohan is very beautiful - it's grasses wave in the wind and the sun shines warmly down on you as you ride, and it's people are very proud of their homes - as i guess all are, but they are very friendly and we take deep care for our horses, as I guess you do for your sailors and people, for to trek to a beacon to deliver food sounds very noble and kind - though I wonder if your brothers knew?

I would love to see your home, and to see the stables that your father and people are so famous for, And as I have never seen the sea with my own two eyes, I would love to see it too - your father says it is similar to the grasses of Rohan, or that the grasses are similar to the sea in that they both move and breath with the wind and seem alive, and that the only difference is that we ride horses through grass and you ride ships and boats.

Winter in Dol Amroth seems very different from what we get in Rohan, and for one I don't envy you it - the wind howling with snow is bad enough in Edoras, completely exposed - but to be buffed with wind, and ice and rain in gales? that is much different and you and all your people are very brave to live there in such weather.

I am travelling to Edoras within the week, for the funeral of my uncle - so your letters will take longer to reach me there.

Yours respectfully,

**Eomer of Rohan.**

P.S: I would much appreciate if we were to stop the formalities between us - for I am new to my title and I wish to know you better as Lothirel, instead of as a Princess - if it pleases you that is.

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**Dear Eomer**

I fear that this letter may be short - for I am hiding from my aunt Ivriel to write you this, she is very conservative in manner, and has been looking over my letters before I send them to you - though I have managed to ensure that she hasn't read yours.

My aunt is very ... tiring when it comes to manners, and she insists on being formal all the time - and I hate it, I would be glad if you called me Lothirel, for I too am displeased at the sound of my title - it makes me feel older, more proper - and I am not as proper as my aunt would like you to believe.

I find myself stuck indoors on the sunny doors - for it is improper to ride around without an escort of ladies, and lords and guards - and I find myself stuck indoors in the kitchen working when it is a gale - my aunt is most displeased about this, but she knows that she can not deny me my duty to care for the sailors and soldiers and knights of Dol Amroth.

I am sorry, once again, for the loss of your uncle - may his soul rest in peace, and I wish that you find some happiness to counter-balance your grief and that you do not fall into despair as is so evident in happening when someone loses another close to them and much loved.

I hope that you still find me agreeable, with this new knowledge and I hope that your opinion of me hasn't changed to much for the worst.

**Lothirel**

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**Dear Lothirel**

Do not fear, it seems my opinion of you has great-end over the last letter - I too find myself stuck with rules about when I can ride and where and so forth, and I feel your pain about not living up to expectations for I fear my advisor's are quite cross with me for I desire to ride out more than I do stay in council with them for one more minute - arguing about things of no great importance.

Your aunt sounds very scary - I do not mean to offend- but she does and I do not wish to get you into trouble with her.

In other news, it has been decided that we are to travel to Dol Amroth within the month, as I'm sure you've been informed by your father. And I am greatly and happily waiting to meet you for myself - I hope that your health is in good order now, for I intend on taking your offer of showing me Dol Amroth to heart.

Eagerly awaiting our visit,

**Eomer.**

P.S: I too find myself wishing that I could ride without a whole court following me - perhaps you would ride with me when I visit? for I much desire to see you, and the great grey horses Dol Amroth is famous for.

P.P.S: I am sorry for the shortness of this letter, I find myself hiding from my advisor's at every available moment - my trip to Dol Amroth is eagerly awaited.

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**Dear Eomer.**

I find myself pitying you, try not to be too hard on your poor advisor's you may need them in the future.

I confess that reading your last note made me blush - for you said that you desired to see me, and I find myself happy for that, for I too desire to meet the man whom I have grown quite fond of during these letters.

Oh, I hope I haven't come across too bold? It's just that your letters seem to end the drudgery of the day, especially when my aunt is here, but no fear she is leaving within the weak to return to her own home, and so by the time you arrive the weak after all evidence of her being here in the first place will be gone.

I would like to ride with you one day, and to show you my home, and I also too find myself eagerly awaiting this visit. I also thank you on regards of your concern to my health - I am much better now and I am now allowed outdoors more and more often - much to my pleasure, I do hope that after the fall of Sauron my illness will not return, for my healer says that without the affects of darkness upon my soul I should be fine.

But then again, my healer though trained by the elves, is quite advanced in years, and sometimes I fear her mind flagging. I must go now, I am required in helping to sow the feast cloth which is to be laid on the great table in the feast when you arrive - it is a tradition that has lasted many many years - and in the end it is quite beautiful for it portrays the actions and life of all those who eat at it - but it is a long table, and many lives and takes a lot of work.

Awaiting your arrival,

**Lothirel.**

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**Dear Lothirel**

We are merely two days away from Dol Amroth - or so I am told, and I can not wait to see you. From where we are, just on the out-skirts of the forest all I can see is fields of wheat and barely, gold and bronze shifting in the wind and it reminds me of my home - similar but different, and out further - like a smudge we see the sea - at first I thought it was the sky but your father pointed it out to me - and even from here I can see a faint speck of light belonging to the beacon.

I wonder, at this very moment - are you looking out the window into the forest - can you see a faint movement in the smudge? For I strain my eyes and I can not see you, and I despair.

Do not be ashamed, after reading your words I find myself lightened that you are also happy to be meeting me, for I am greatly excited at the thought of meeting you.

The sound of the feast-cloth is amazing, I can't wait to see what I find there, and It sounds beautiful and a lot of hard work. You say your illness is worse in times of great darkness - I have never heard of such a thing, perhaps you would describe it to me.

Awaiting the moment I see you,

**Eomer**

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**Dear Eomer**

As I read your letter, I saw the shape of your party arriving in Dol Amroth, that is why I am having this delivered to your chambers.

As for my illness, I'm afraid it was quite silly of me - when I was a young girl, I accidentaly touched a Harad horn, which had been taken from Corsairs attacking our coast - it had been kept because of it's beauty and strangeness - and so was the customs in those days, but none had touched it directly before me, as they took it while it had been wrapped in silk.

It turns out the horn was made out of a dragon claw, from the great dragon Smaug, that had once lived in the lonely mountain, once killed many took pieces of his body as prizes - including the Harad. But I am afraid that the dragon Smaug was triumphant even in death - for he had been dying already - of Dragon Fever.

Dragon Fever is a terrible thing, it kills dragons, or used to, and so it was only because I barely touched the horn that I survived, though I was in a horrible fever for weeks, and weak for much longer - but luckily the only scar that I got is a small thing on the palm of my left hand, which is quite fortunate in that my aunt also got the fever, and she barely survived and now her once beautiful looks are ruined.

I eagerly await meeting you at the feast, I am sorry about not meeting you at the gates, but we are still finishing off the feast-cloth and I am preparing for the feast.

**Lothirel.**

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**Lothirel**

When I did not see you at the gates, I found myself sad - for I had greatly wished to see your face, but then I read your letter and I understood that you were busy and I would see you soon, and my heart was lightened.

Your illness as a child must have been terrible, and I sympathise with you, for I would have hated to be enclosed and weak for so long.

When I saw you at the feast, my heart burst into my throat - or so it seemed, you are so beautiful, and so gracious and kind. You talked with me through out the feast, and I saw the faint scar on your hand - and it seemed so small and it marred your beauty but it also complimented you - it told all that you had lived through something that killed most people, and I found myself wanting to kiss it.

I find myself wanting to kiss you, in all our letters I have learnt much about you - you are kind, and gentle, and brave, and strong and independent and beautiful. The moment I saw your blue eyes, and your raven hair, I realised that I love you.

That I loved you from your letters, but when I saw you - it became real to me.

Will you do me the honour of becoming my wife and my queen?

**Eomer.**

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_And so was the courtship of Eomer-king of Rohan and Princess Lothirel of Dol Amroth. It was an unconventional courtship, but there's is an unconventional marriage - for despite the fact is mostly arranged they were deeply in love, but that didn't stop the arguments the two had, for they were somewhat famous for them._

_Theirs was a passionate love, and they lived together, happily married and with their son, Elfwine, for many years. For after the birth of their first, and only child, the illness that had plagued Lothirel's life for so long affected her again - but she recovered, much to the relief of her anxious husband and to the relief of all of Rohan, who much loved their queen._

_Lothirel died in her nineties, asleep and with her family - her illness was not a factor, and she died painlessly and loved, Great was the grief of Eomer that he died the next year, and was buried beside his late wife, their letters with them._

The End.


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